This new National League was a tightly run, well organized institution, that offered the public honest baseball for a change. Despite several franchise turnovers in the early years the National League began to blossom in the 1880's as daily newspapers all across the land started to print accounts of big time baseball on a regular basis.

In the '80's the game itself went through several major changes: In 1881 the pitching distance was increased from 45 to 50 feet, and in 1883, pitchers were allowed to throw overhand for the first time.

National League's New York Gothams - 1885
In 1885, they became the Giants.

Gloves specifically designed for fielding purposes were introduced in the mid 1880's, along with masks and chest protectors for catchers.

Spalding Ad

In the National League of the 1880's, the Chicago White Stockings were the pre-eminent club; between 1880 and '86 they won five National League pennants. On the field they were led by a flamboyant outfielder and catcher by the name of Mike "King" Kelly who was baseball's first major superstar. Kelly was paid $4000 a year in an era when the average player made about $1,600 a season.

Mike King Kelly, Baseball's First Major Superstar

In 1882 the National League suddenly faced competition when a rival league called the American Association was formed. After an initial skirmish, the National League decided to try and co-exist with the new circuit, and this led to the first post-season series between league champions in 1884.

The foremost club in the American Association was the St. Louis Browns.

St. Louis Browns - 1888

The club was run by manager and first-baseman Charles Commiskey who later went on to become the founder and owner of the American League's Chicago White Sox.

Charles Comiskey

In the 1880's racism, unfortunately, became an official policy of professional baseball. In 1884, Moses Fleetwood Walker was the first black major league player. He, along with his brother Welday, played for the American Association's Toledo Blue Stockings, but a stop was soon put to this by the men who ran the game, and no black player was again allowed to compete at a major league level until Jackie Robinson put on a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform in 1947

Moses Fleetwood Walker

Jackie Robinson

In 1891 the American Association folded and the National League had a monopoly on major league baseball for the rest of the decade. The most famous team of this era was the original Baltimore Orioles who won three straight pennants in the mid 90's.

In 1901 the American League arose to challenge the National League, this led to the first modern day World Series which was played in 1903, and the two leagues have virtually had a monopoly on major league baseball ever since.

1903 World Series

A central figure throughout the early era of baseball was a man by the name of Albert Spalding. He was a former Major League pitching ace who went on to become a baseball executive, a wealthy manufacturer of baseball equipment, and a publisher of various baseball guide books.

Spalding had a tremendous influence on the game of baseball in the early years and even succeeded in rewriting the history of the game to suit his own particular viewpoint... and helped to create a myth that just won't die.